Body Contouring in Trends Asia Magazine

Body contouring procedures are the hottest cosmetic surgical procedures for the summer. The following article appears in Trends Asia magazine, August 2008 edition, and showcases two of the most popular treatments: breast augmentation and liposuction.

Click on the image for a closeup. Below the image is the English translation.

 

Beautify Your Body for the Summer

While most of us welcome the sun drenched days of summer, to others, it is the worst time of the year. To them, the sweltering heat and sunshine mean only one thing: wearing less clothes.

Without chunky turtleneck sweaters, long pants and thick coats, there's nothing much you can do to camouflage a body contour you know is unappealing. Lacking the top part of that coveted hourglass shape or plagued by fatty lumps and bumps, for many, their body is a constant source of embarrassment and even shame. But it doesn't have to be.

When genetics, age, gravity, fluctuations in weight, or other circumstance negatively affects the curves of your body, there is a solution that may be more effective and provides longer lasting results than a regular exercise regimen and a healthy diet.

Whether invasive or not, cosmetic surgery no longer bears the stigma that it once had. With hundreds of thousands of men and women around the world undergoing some form of cosmetic surgical treatment every year, indeed, times are changing. Looking good is what matters, and hey, if you need a little help, so be it! After all, these days, it's not what you were born with; it's what you want to live with.

Body Contouring

Don't know where to get a little work done? The answer is easy.

As one of the fastest growing clinics in the city and the recipient of the Consumers' Choice Award for best cosmetic surgeon 2008, Toronto Cosmetic Clinic is a premier cosmetic surgical facility located just south of Finch at 5400 Yonge Street, suite 110. A complete range of procedures for the aesthetic improvement of an individual are available including invasive procedures such as tummy tucks, breast lifts, facelifts and ear surgery as well as noninvasive laser based procedures such as tattoo removal, skin resurfacing, hair removal, skin tightening and melasma treatment. A team of dedicated doctors and medical staff serve clients in the state-of-the art facilities of a private surgical centre.

But with everyone flashing a little skin in this weather, for most of us it's our bodies that we've got to contend with - which is probably why liposuction and breast augmentation are two of the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures of the season at Toronto Cosmetic Clinic. So if you've got a little time, and a little cash to burn, you may want to consider these two procedures to achieve that body contour you've always wanted.

Liposuction

In a nutshell, liposuction is essentially the removal of fat by a suctioning instrument. Though not originally intended for cosmetic purposes, the procedure as we are familiar with today was invented in 1974 by Italian gynecologists, Dr. Giorgio Fischer and his son by the same name. It was only a few years later that two surgeons, Dr. Ives Gerard Illouz and Dr. Pierre Fournier, established liposuction as a highly effective method of body sculpting for the purposes of cosmetic enhancement.

In its relatively short history, several types of liposuction have come and gone. Though more traditional forms of liposuction still exist, like the “wet” and “ tumescent” technique, the power of technological advancement has granted us one of the least invasive methods available today.

Smartlipo™ is a form of laser assisted liposuction that melts unwanted fat before it is suctioned from the body. The Smartlipo™ LaserBodySculpting Workstation delivers a 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser fibre through a cannula. The cannula, measuring under 2mm in diameter, is much smaller than any others used for traditional liposuction procedures. When the laser comes into contact with the undesirable subcutaneous fat in the body, it ruptures the fat cells as well as coagulates tissue and blood vessels in the area. This results in a noticeable reduction of bleeding, bruising, pain, and swelling that normally accompanies the procedure. Also, the overlying skin remains taut despite the rapid reduction of volume it bears with the removal of fat.

Because of the relative ease of recovery, it is possible for patients to return to sedentary work within a day.

Gone are the massive tubes to suction out fat, the long incisions to accommodate their insertion, and the risks and complications associated with such an invasive procedure. Any incisions made are much smaller, requiring no stitches. As a result, scars are less noticeable. Plus, since Smartlipo™ minimizes trauma to the area treated, even local anesthesia can be used. Commonly treated areas include (but are not limited to) the lower back, inner and outer thigh, ankles, waist, stomach, male breasts, jaw line, jowls, neck and upper arms.

Smartlipo™ was approved by the FDA in late 2006. Men and women in Australia, Japan, Germany, the U.S. and many other countries around the world have taken advantage of the extraordinary results achieved with Smartlipo™ for years. It took a little while, but having received regulatory clearance by Health Canada, it's finally reached us Canadians. According to manufacturer Cynosure, Toronto Cosmetic Clinic is the first practice in Canada to offer Smartlipo™.

Breast Augmentation

Okay. So you got rid of that double chin and those love handles. If you're a woman, how about going for the whole shabang?

For decades, breast augmentation has been known as the only way to get bigger breasts permanently. Sure there are lotions, pills, and exercises out there being touted as magical solutions to a grander bustline, but really, they simply do not achieve the results that breast augmentation do.

Women have been surgically augmenting their breasts since the 1920s. One of the first and most popular techniques was injecting fat right into the breasts. However, this method was abandoned twenty years later since the injected fat did not stay in place, and was instead absorbed into the body.

The injection of silicone as well as the insertion of polyvinyl sponges were other popular methods that were also abandoned, as many women suffered serious complications, some life threatening.

Today, breast augmentation involves the placement of an implant underneath the breast tissue or partially underneath the pectoral muscles. The implant is composed of a pliable silicone elastomer shell that is textured or smooth and filled with a saline solution or cohesive silicone gel. Their shape may be round or contoured/teardrop (also known as anatomical implants). Typically, augmentation involves an increase of up to 2 cup sizes (e.g., an A to a C cup). Anything more can pose problems to other parts of a patient's anatomy, such as back or shoulder pain.

Incision placement is also an important consideration. Since the insertion of implants require an incision, breast augmentation does result in the formation of scars. However, Toronto Cosmetic Clinic specializes in “scarless breast augmentation”, a technique performed by experienced physicians that leads to practically invisible scarring.

Breast augmentation is considered one of the most rewarding changes to a woman's body, and often achieves the most satisfying results.

There's no need to fear now that summer's here. Short skirts, tanktops, and what about that bathing suit? The next time you're at the beach, be the one that's turning heads. Toronto Cosmetic Clinic helps you get the body you want. Call 416-221-5554 or visit their website http://www.tcclinic.com for more information regarding breast augmentation, liposuction and other body contouring procedures.

 

Back to the Media Centre